The Romeo Observer - Romeo, Michigan: Northern Macomb County's weekly newspaper since 1866

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CURTIS OSTRANDER	DUAINE HARDING
ELEANOR TODD	ELMER "BUD" HAHN
GERVASE KILEY	MARIAN SUTTON
ORLO KIRKUM	SLAVA KOKOTOVICH
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Decision reached in suit
with township firefighter

by Cheryl Ciske
Observer Special Writer

      Michigan Employment Relations Commission Administrative Law Judge Julia C. Stern issued an Order Sept. 23 dismissing the unfair labor practice charges filed by the Michigan Association of Firefighters on behalf of discharged Washington firefighter Ronald Bauer.
       "This decision was made in favor of the township," said Supervisor Gary Kirsh at the board's Oct. 1 meeting. "We didn't believe we were in violation."
       A letter to the township from township attorney Robert Seibert stated that Judge Stern "concluded that the evidence presented at the hearing did not support a finding that the Township unilaterally altered its existing disciplinary policy or grievance procedure when it discharged Mr. Bauer from employment."
       Bauer filed a complaint with the state's Employment Relations Commission against Washington Township alleging, among other things, that he, as well as the Michigan Association of Firefighters, was not notified of the impending termination. Bauer also alleged the township violated its disciplinary policy and grievance procedure.
       Bauer, 52, a four-year veteran with the department, was discharged from his duties as a paid-on-call firefighter with the Washington Township Fire Department in July 2007 because of driving issues stemming back to August 2006.
       Bauer was unavailable for comment on the judge's decision.